Working Conditions

Possibilities – Could, May and Might, Offering Solutions
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The Problem
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This is a negotiation between an Office Services Manager and a Trade Union Representative. When you have read about the work of Office Services Departments in general and the specific points raised by the staff in this particular company, you will be given a role and also some extra information to help you to negotiate.
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The Office Services Department
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The job of the Office Services Department is to keep the company’s buildings clean and in good repair and also to make sure that the employees have a good environment to work in. It looks after the general comfort of the company’s staff, making sure that their surroundings and equipment comply with health and safety laws and allow them to work as efficiently as possible. Everything has to be maintained and, from time to time, replaced and so the OSD has to obtain information for all departments which need new office furniture and equipment.
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In Pairs
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In pairs make a list of some of the cleaning / maintenance / purchasing installation enquiry / work which an Office Services Department may have to organise.
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The Meeting
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A meeting has been arranged between the Office Services Department and the Trade Union Shop Stewards to discuss and find solutions to the following points that have been raised by the staff.
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1. Complaints of headaches, said to be due to poor or wrong lighting.
2. Canteen queues are too long
3. Staircases and corridors are dark and drab.
4. People working with VDU’s suffer from tiredness and headaches.
5. Workers on the south side of the building are insufferably hot in summer, when the sun comes in.
6. Department heads have complained that staff are late more often than they used to be. The most frequent excuse is that buses are full and the staff have to wait for several buses before they get on one.
7. Many complaints of backache from staff who sit all day
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Trade Union Representative
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Special information for the Trade Union Representatives – the management must not know that you have this information.
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In order to prepare for your negotiation, form a group with the other Trade Union Representatives and read about your role.
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Your main objective is to get the complaints dealt with as quickly as possible. There are four months of this financial year left and you have been told that there is still money in the Office Services budget as yet unspent.
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REMEMBR – The management must not know that you have this information.
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Discuss the possible solutions to each complaint with the others in your group and decide which you will press for when you meet the management.
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Form a pair with na Office Services Manager and role play the meeting in pairs.
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Office Services Manager
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Special information for the Office Services Managers – it would be undiplomatic if you told this to the Trade Union Representatives.
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In order to prepare for your negotiation, form a group with the other Office Services Managers and read about your role.
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There are 4 months of this financial year left but the remainder of your budget is promised for the total renovation of the Managing Director’s office suite.
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REMEMBER – It would be most undiplomatic to tell this to the Union Representatives.
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Discuss the possible solutions to each complaint with the others in your group and decide which you will suggest when you meet the union.
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Form a pair with a Trade Union Representative and role play the meeting in pairs.